In the Heat of the Night
by jassmarie19
Summary: Stacy: a girl of the night, trash, never expected that life was this hard. Especially when compared to her best friend, Lana. Sequel to Come and Gone, but I think it could stand alone. T could turn M.
1. Chapter 1

**Kind of a Prologue for the sequel to _Come and Gone_. Really, it's just to see if there's interest. It kind of introduces Stacey (who is a character in Come and Gone, but she's only mentioned, like, once) who will be the main girl in this story. I hope you guys enjoy it because it'll be written a little differently than Come and Gone. I don't know if I'll continue to write it so choppily, ****but I don't want it to feel like the same story. This _is_ the sequel, but it focuses on a totally different girl.**

**Warning: to those of you who are die-hard book followers, I _do _mess with _The Outsiders_ timeline a bit, but it's nothing major. Johnny and Dally are still dead, in case anyone was wondering for some reason.**

Smoking helped relieve stress. I don't know if that's why everyone else did it, but that why I did. Whenever teachers yelled at me because my grades sucked, or when my mom started hitting me, I would light up. And I would feel better. I probably looked cool and dangerous too, but that was just icing on the cake as far as I was concerned. Honestly, I didn't need cigarettes to look cool or dangerous, but I think that even if I didn't need them, or even like them, I still would have smoked. Because that's what girls like me did. Greaser girls, I mean. But I wasn't a greaser, I was more than that. I was trash.

I didn't date greasers; I dated hoods, JD's, the lowest of the low. I didn't just wear make-up. I wore too much, and that was when I didn't feel like doing much. My skirts were too far above my knees, and sometimes, I wore pants. To school. Just because I hadn't gotten in enough trouble that week, enough attention. I was probably going to wind up pregnant, like Lana, or diseased like Sylvia, but that was okay as long as I had my fun while I could, and I definitely had my fun.

. . .

Jazz loved what I did. He didn't think of it as me sleeping with guys, he thought of it as me "gaining experience," and he liked that. He liked that I always had a new trick to try. He loved it when I would show him something I had learned. He loved me, and he told me so, even when he was so high he couldn't even think, he still told me he loved me, and I liked that. I liked him loving me, so I loved him back.

You could say I did it for the attention, that's probably wheat everyone thought. Attention and money, but that wasn't it. Sure, they helped, but I really did it for the high. The euphoria. Even after, I still felt it, that feeling of floating. I had heard the term "outer body experience" once, but that didn't quite describe it. It was something more. I could only get that feeling one way, and that's why I kept doing what I did.

. . .

Being at the Mathews home was great. Dirty, but great. I was over there a lot to hang out and also to help Lana with Curtis. Curtis was a great baby. Didn't cry for no reason, wasn't fussy, he was just content to be.

But he looked exactly like Dally did. Except for his hair, he had Lana's hair, but his eyes. They were the exact same shade of icy blue, only much, much happier. It was weird to see him laugh, which he did often, because it was kind of like seeing Dally laugh, which he never did. Curtis was probably the happiest baby I had ever seen in my entire life, but that probably came from living with Two-Bit.

I hate to say it, but Two-Bit made a pretty good dad. He loved Curtis like he was his own, almost too much, I would say. Probably because he was well aware that Curtis _wasn__'__t_ his, a fact that was only emphasized because Curtis looked so much like Dally, but he was still a pretty good dad.

Lana was a great mom, though. She managed to balance everything, Curtis, work, Two-Bit. Especially Two-Bit. He was more work than Curtis. Lana and Two-Bit fought often and they could range from knock-down drag-outs about serious issues, to knock-down drag-outs about how to boil water and they always ended with Two-Bit getting kicked out and having to sleep over at the Curtis's house, but then the next day when he came back, they would make up. Loudly. And I would take Curtis over to the Curtis's and Soda would have a ball playing with him, even though you knew he was dying inside. You knew that he missed Sandy and her kid. He would have raised it, whether it was his or not. But he was Soda, so he put on a brave face and he gave Curtis the time of his life. Curtis loved him, almost as much as he loved Two-Bit. Darry really liked it when Curtis came over because it "taught Ponyboy about consequences." Pony just blushed. I laughed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, so the reason it took me so long to put out this chapter is because I couldn't figure out how to write the rest of the story. So here's how it's going to go down. **

**This story will be written in multiple blurbs. These blurbs will vary in length and also when they happen in the timeline of events. This story will not follow a lateral timeline. There will be flashbacks, flash-forwards, etc.** **In order to help you guys out, at the beginning of each chapter, I will have "Before" or "After" written at the top. That simply means that everything that happens underneath the "Before" or "After" will be before or after a specific event. I won't tell you what that event is, but you'll find out. Eventually.**

**Now, I've never written a story like this before, so I would really appreciate some response so I can know if the story is making sense. Do I need to change things? Elaborate on something more? Stuff like that. Thanks bunches for reading and please review!**

Before

"Don't you think it's a little short, Stace?"

"Nah. It looks good on you. And I'm willing to bet Dally would like it." I waggled my eyebrows suggestively. I had found out about Dallas not too long ago, and had made it my mission to help Lana with him. This skirt was just the beginning. It used to be one I wore to work, but I had recently gotten a newer one, so now it was Lana's.

"Really? Ya think so?"

"Lana, I know men, especially men like Dallas. Trust me, he'll like it."

"Thanks, Stace," she said hugging me. "You're a real friend."

. . .

Lana was home. She had gotten here about five minutes ago, and Jane had Curtis, giving us an opportunity to talk.

"So," Lana began. "You still workin'?" Lana knew exactly what I did. She tried not to judge me for it, but I knew she did.

"Yea," I answered simply.

"Are you…ya know…?"

"Most of the time."

That pissed her off. "Most of the time? What the hell does that mean? Stacy, you have to be careful or else-"

"Or else I'll end up like you?"

"Exactly."

"Why is that such a bad thing?"

That stunned her. "Why is that such a bad thing? Did you really just ask that? Why is this such a bad thing? Stacy, I had to quit school. I'm never going to go to college, never going to make something of myself because I wasn't careful." She was really pissed. I had struck a chord with her.

"But, you have Two-Bit."

"Yea. _Two-Bit_."

"I thought you loved him," I asked bitterly.

"I do, but…He's not-" she was tearing up. "He's not coming back. He's not here to see his son grow-up. He's not here to watch him take his first steps, or, or hear his first words, and someday I'm going to have to explain to him that his real Daddy isn't here. Dallas-" she paused, as if saying that name caused her physical pain. "Dallas isn't here because Pony wasn't careful, and Darry wasn't careful, or Johnny, and in the end Dallas was just- just plain stupid. And now I'm here, with his fucking _baby_, and he's not here, and- and…" she stopped. "Just, be careful. I've never tried to tell you what to do, or told you stop _working_, but just- be careful. Be fucking careful, or yeah, you'll end up like me: with a baby who's father's dead and trying to rely on fucking Two-Bit for support, who does nothing except sit around on his fucking ass while I'm out working and taking care of my kid! Stacy, you don't want to end up like me. Never. I just- I couldn't live with myself if you wound up like me, because believe me. There is nothing worse."

Curtis started crying. "Shit," she got up and started walking into the other room. "Shh, baby, it's okay. Mommy's here. You're fine. Shh."

_Lana was wrong._


	3. Chapter 3

**I do not own _T__he __Outsiders_**. **They belong exclusively to S.E. Hinton.**

Before

Lana came to the funeral. I'm not exactly sure why someone thought that was a good idea, but she was there. It was open casket, which was another bad idea. Lana started bawling the moment she saw the casket. She had already lost so much, and now…this. Another death, another person gone, someone else she would never get to see again for the rest of her life. Soda held her while she sobbed. The memories were too fresh, the pain too real. Darry tried to get her out of there, but she refused to leave. When it came time to come up to the casket and say your last goodbyes before they closed it, Lana went. That was the worst idea of them all.

They had fixed him up, even greased his hair. Lana didn't like that. The first thing she did was mess up his hair to try and make it look normal again. The sobbing got ,worse. She threw her arms across the casket and just laid there, sobbing. Soda and Darry got up to carry her away, and she let them. I think she knew that she couldn't handle anymore, that she would lose her mind if she stayed any longer.

After the grave-side portion, Sylvia had the gall to show up.

She went straight to Lana. "I'm really sorry for your loss. I know how great he was."

Lana punched her in the mouth. Two-Bit and Steve had to restrain Lana while Soda helped Sylvia up and into the church to fix her up.

"AND DON'T YOU EVER SHOW YOUR FACE AROUND ME AGAIN!" Lana yelled through her tears. Two-Bit carried her to the car, kicking and screaming.

. . .

The night was dark, but it was bright inside Buck's. I was at my usual place at the bar, waiting. Dallas walked in the door, and I smirked. I saw him here just about every night. He nodded in my general direction, and I smiled back. If I had a bad night, he knew I would come find him, but I wasn't going to have a bad night tonight. I knew it. I could feel it.

I ordered another drink from Tony, the bartender. He slid it down the bar and I caught it easily. I turned my back to the bar and took a swig, tossing my head back to expose my neck and arching my back. If I didn't attract any attention soon, I would have to go find Dally, and I didn't feel like doing that tonight.

Sure enough, someone walked up to me.

"You're Stacy, right?" He asked.

"Sure am," I replied. "Watcha need?"

"Listen, my girlfriend, just broke up with me, and-" I put a finger to his lips.

"Say no more. Break-ups are my specialty. How about you and I," I was running my finger slowly up and down his arm, "head upstairs and get…acquainted?"

He smiled and nodded.

"C'mon. I'll show you to my room," I hooked my arm around his, "and we'll make arrangements."

We passed Dally on our way upstairs. He looked up at us and smirked. I winked in reply. If this didn't take too long, maybe I _would_ go see him tonight, just for the heck of it.


	4. Chapter 4

Before

"His name was Danny. His girlfriend, Renee, had just broken up with him."

"How was he?"

"Good. Really Good. Maybe even better than you," I said with a smirk, knowing that would push his buttons.

His face shifted slightly and he pulled me into a rough kiss. "Let me show you just how _good_ I can be." I smirked as he took off his shirt and crawled on top of me.

"Oh, Jazz, don't tell me you're jealous of this guy."

"I just don't you gettin' any ideas," he said against my neck. He was working on a hickey to mark me as his. To remind me that no matter what I did, I was his. Forever.

. . .

When I got to thinking about it, Danny didn't really look like he belonged at Buck's. He was neatly dressed, hair combed back with just enough grease to keep it in place. If I didn't know any better, I might say he was a Soc, but that was impossible. Socs weren't stupid enough to show their face around Buck's because it wasn't a greaser hang-out. It was a place for cowboys and adults. A Soc wouldn't last two minutes in that place. But Danny _had_ looked pretty nervous downstairs, but some guys were. It wasn't his first time around with a girl, that was for sure, but it might have been his first with one like me, an _experienced_ girl like me. I went to Buck's that night wondering, and kind of hoping I would see him there. He was different, and that intrigued me. I wanted to know why he had chosen to go to Buck's. I wanted to know if he was really a Soc.

. . .

"Mary, you ever heard of a guy named Danny?"

"Yeah, I know a few. Why?"

"I've been seein' him around at Buck's and wanted to know a little about him."

See shot me a look. A teasing, "you fallin'-for-one-of-your-clients?" looks. I gave her a strong visual no. She shrugged and replied, "Yeah well there's a couple of 'em live down on our side, but there's one that's from the West-side of town." She paused, "You don't think it's him do ya?"

"I dunno. Why? Does it matter?"

"Stace, you can't be seeing him! That's Danny Lewis, a class-A Soc. He dated _Renee Billingsley, _as in _Billingsley Country Club_. Stace, ya' gotta stop this. I don't even care if it's just work, this can only end badly. For everyone.

. . .

"So you're back," I said coolly to the guy facing the bar. I knew it was him, Danny. His shirt collar was too clean. He finished his drink and turned to me.

"Yeah, I did." He was probably three drinks in. Not enough to make him drunk.

"Well, I'd appreciate it if you'd move from my seat."

"Your seat?"

"Yeah, _my seat_. It's classier than a street corner."

Recognition downed on his face. "You're that girl."

"Was I than unmemorable?"

"No! No, God no. I remember. I certainly remember."

"Well, I hope you were satisfied," I said as I took the seat next to him, since it was clear he wasn't moving.

"Satisfied…Yeah…Actually, I was wondering, uh…" He was nervous again.

I turned to look at him. "You want another night?" I asked with a smirk, thinking how adorable it was that he was nervous.

"Yeah. If you can that is."

"Sure. It is my job after all." I grabbed his arm and we walked up to my room. Dallas wasn't there, I noticed. Wonder where he could be.


End file.
